Tag: the simpsons

Another Blog Post About The Simpsons (Seasons 9-16: Part 1):

manda_faromeiro

Here we go again my fellow Springfieldians! For this next blog, I will be focusing on five of my favourite episodes from Seasons 9-16; perhaps within this post, you’ll find some gems that you forgot about! While narrowing down this list wasn’t as difficult as the earlier seasons, I found it pleasantly surprising and delightful to revisit some of these episodes as I myself had forgotten their charm. So grab yourself a can of Mountain Dew (or Crab Juice) and enjoy these next five episodes.

The City of New York vs Homer Simpson (Season 9, Episode 1)
Alright New York, we’re coming back, and I won’t be making two stops in Atlanta to get there.

Synopsis:
Homer and his fellow barflies are informed by Moe that they are responsible for 91% of all traffic incidents in Springfield, so they are going to start having designated drivers; Barney is the first one randomly drawn via picked egg and descends into madness watching everyone else get totally wasted as he remains sober. After dropping a very drunk Homer off infront of his house, Barney disappears with the car and 2 months go by with both of them still missing. Eventually, Barney is dropped off in front of Moe’s, incredibly incoherent and with no recollection of where Homer’s car might be. Homer scooters home, and learns from Lisa (who has a letter from the city of New York) that his car is illegally parked and abandoned in Manhattan. Homer refuses to go, calling New York a hell-hole. Homer only agrees to return to New York because travel fare is so cheap and the rest of the family want to go. Once they arrive in New York, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie go off to explore the city while Homer goes to retrieve his car. He arrives finding his car parked in the middle of the plaza (World Trade Center), full of tickets and a boot on the wheel. Homer tries to pry the boot off with his hands, but a loud bystander tells him he needs to call the phone number on the boot. After the phone call, Homer learns that he needs to wait by his car for a parking officer between the hours of 9 A.M. and 5 P.M. More shenanigans ensue as Homer gets fed up waiting and eventually drives his car with the boot on the wheel, attempting to remove it with a jackhammer. Ultimately, the car is trashed and the Simpsons are seen leaving New York with a broken windshield, while driving behind a garbage truck…

Why I Love It:
I always really enjoy the episodes where the Simpson family travels outside of Springfield, and this one is probably my favourite (with the exception of the fictional Cypress Creek of course). I love all the cultural references found throughout their whole time in New York, and I appreciate the accuracy and details of the city. The first time I visited New York City was in 2006, so after 9/11, but I remembering being able to piece together elements from the episode so clearly. Additionally, like many great episodes, I love the movie references; Ben-Hur, Die Hard, and The GodFather for example. Of course, there are just many laugh-out loud moments that make this episode a real gem. I believe that this episode also has very high rewatch value, as there are always new subtle details to pick up on with each and every rewatch.

Memorable Quotes:
“We’ll meet you in Central Park at 5:00.”
“Okay, but not a minute later. Once the sun goes down, all the weirdos turn crazy. (looks at person on street) I’m on to you!”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to be driving around in a car you built yourself.”
(Building a car out of a mattress) “Okay, Marge, either you can stand there and complain, or you can get started knitting me those seatbelts.”

“Alright New York, I’m comin’ back! But you’re not gettin’ this!” (throws his wallet into the fireplace)
“Dad, our baby pictures were in there!”
“Don’t you start!”

“Uh oh! It’s getting dark! Well that’s it! I’m getting out of this town alive if it kills me!”

Homer to the Max (Season 10: Episode 3)
How many times have you cleverly ended a discussion with, “and that’s the end of that chapter” because for me, I’ve lost count.

Synopsis:
While watching TV, the Simpson family stumbles upon a new show called Police Cops; the show has a suave detective and his partner, and Homer is especially interested in the show when he finds that the suave detective shares his name; Homer Simpson. Convinced that he and the character are so much alike, Homer starts mimicking the character including catch phrases and accessories (scarf). Homer is getting praise from everyone in town, including the old prom queen from high school, but when Homer goes to Moe’s to catch the latest Police Cops episode, the episode now features Homer Simpson as a fat, bumbling, detective. Detective Homer’s new catchphrase is “Uh Oh Spaghetti-O”. Homer is mortified to see that his namesake is now no longer handsome and cool, the irony of course being that this version of the character is now more like Homer than the pilot version. Homer pleas with the producers of “Police Cops” to change the character’s personality or his name; to which they do neither and this prompts Homer to change his name to Max Power. The rest of the Simpson family is surprised to learn of his name-change, but “Max” starts speaking of his new personality — dynamic, decisive, uncompromising and rude, which is pointed out as being exactly like his old personality but faster. Now that Homer is Max Power, all the negative attention fades away, and Homer even gets noticeably better attention at work and from others in the community; including a few celebrities. However, Max and Marge get roped into a protest to save the redwood forest where they are literally tied to trees. The cops start chasing Max around his tree, trying to “swab” him with mace. However, as he runs round and round the tree, the chain around him starts cutting into the tree and finally, the huge redwood falls, knocking down the other redwoods. Ultimately, Max Power becomes Homer Simpsons once again.

Why I Love It:
In addition to being incredibly quotable, I really love the concept of this episode as Homer comes to terms with a television character in his likeness. I also love the idea of Homer changing his name and seeing it as a clean slate for him to try to do and be anything he wants to be. All in all, this episode is a lot of fun, especially as we get to see Homer live a different life with new found confidence; I love the confidence boost Homer gets by becoming Max Power. However, we are reminded of the all important truth that your family loves you unconditionally; it doesn’t matter what your name is or if you have a clever catch-phrase or fashionable accessories.

Memorable Quotes:
(singing) “Max Power, he’s the man whose name you’d love to touch, but you mustn’t touch! His name sounds good in your ear, but when you say it, you mustn’t fear! Cause his name can be said, by anyone!”

“Kids, there’s three ways to do things. The right way, the wrong way and the Max Power way!”
“Isn’t that the wrong way?”
“Yeah, but faster!”

“Homer, your growing insanity is starting to worry me. Why don’t you talk to the producers of the show? Maybe they’ll make your character suave again.”
“Hmm… I guess I could, but while I’m gone, keep an eye on that weird-looking kid down there.”
“Bart?”
“Yeah. “Bart.”

“Oh, this is the worst party ever!”
“I don’t know. Remember that New Year’s Eve at Lenny’s? He didn’t even have a clock.”

“So where to eat? You like Thai?”
“Tie good. You like shirt?”

“Nobody *snuggles* with Max Power, Marge. You strap yourself in and feel the Gs.”

Smart and Smarter (Season 15: Episode 13):
You don’t need Phonic Frog to spell out one word to summarize this episode is, but just incase, you’d type: G-R-E-A-T.

Synopsis:
The Simpson family visits the pre-nursery school run by Mrs. Wickerbottom and realize they need to act soon at getting Maggie enlisted. Maggie fails the initial screening because she cannot talk, but Lisa is determined to show everyone how smart Maggie really is and at the second screening, Maggie is deemed a genius; smarter than Lisa! Crushed that she is no longer the smartest Simpson, Lisa tries to create new identities for herself. Lisa’s jealousy of Maggie grows stronger and she begins teaching Maggie wrong information. Upset with herself for not celebrating her sisters’ success and crippled with the disappointment from her family, she runs away and hides in the museum which sends her family on a hunt to find her. The family accidently gets swallowed into the giant human body model and it is up to Maggie to save them; she presses many buttons until she finally presses the evacuate button, following a visual cue from Lisa as to its color on the button. It is then determined from the owner of Mrs. Wickerbottom’s that Maggie had been taking cues from Lisa the whole time during her test, and therefore was not a genius. The episode ends with Maggie playing Lisa’s saxophone, to which she insists that saxophones are not for babies.

Why I Love It:
I’m all in on episodes that dive into sibling dynamics and relationships. As someone who doesn’t have a sister, and who is the youngest sibling of three, I am always intrigued by episodes about Maggie because I like how they shed light on how she fits into a family with so many interesting and polarizing personalities. Interestingly, this episode leaves us questioning whether Lisa was really the odd one in the family after all these years, as now we see that Maggie is also a smart Simpson. Similar to the episode above, you also get to see Lisa go through an identity change, as she tries to narrow down what exactly defines her as Lisa Simpson, since she is no longer the “smart” one. Episodes like these also remind us that Lisa is still a kid, as often she is wise beyond her years, at the end of the day, she is still a young person trying to comprehend why she is jealous of her baby sister, instead of wanting to celebrate her newly identified skills and intelligence; we get to see the more human side of Lisa, and it’s refreshing from her being the good-know-it-all of the family. Overall, it’s good for some laughs, but also pretty relatable when it comes to sibling relationships.

Memorable Quotes:
“I’m tired. I’m hungry. Red plastic sandals are not good running-away footwear.”

“I can’t believe I’m jealous of a baby!”
“Hey, so am I! When you’re a baby, you can just spend all day rolling around on the floor. (sighs) I miss those days.”

“We’ve all learned something today. Never be something you’re not, namely food.”

“So our kids keep getting smarter. If we have another one it could build a time machine which we could use to go back in time and not have any kids.”

“Lisa’s gone, you have to find her.”
“Why can’t you just accept that Lisa is old enough to take care of herself. Back off and let her live her life.”
“But she’s only eight!”
“Oh. I thought you said eighty.”

Trash of the Titans (Season 9: Episode 22):
Did you get a Sir Loves a Lot or a Lord Huggington last Love Day?

Synopsis:
The Simpsons celebrate “Love Day,” a new commercialized holiday created by the executives of the Costingtons department store and are left with heaps of trash after unwrapping all their gifts, toys etc which piles up significantly. Forced to take out the trash, Homer heads outside only to see the garbage truck passing the house. Homer insults the garbage men and because of his attitude and behaviour, the Simpsons’ are no longer receiving curb pickup. Garbage begins to pile up in the Simpsons’ front yard, and when it disappears, Homer thinks he won, but finds out Marge wrote an apology letter on Homer’s behalf. This frustrates Homer, who marches down to city hall and gets in an argument with Sanitation Commissioner Ray Patterson. Homer chooses to run for sanitation commissioner himself to spite Patterson and is very successful with the townspeople; at least in the beginning. Homer promises round-the-clock trash pickup and emergency cleanup service but after only a month in office, the department goes bankrupt due to the expenses of his “crazy promises”. Trash is piling up everywhere, and the townspeople want Ray Patterson back but he refuses, and Mayor Quimby is forced to move the town five miles down the road.

Why I Love It:
The Garbage Man Can is one of the catchiest Simpsons songs ever, coupled with the special appearance from U2, and so many memorable quotes and lines, this episode is incredibly entertaining from beginning to end. The comical jab at commercialism with the creation of Love Day is one of the most beloved jokes in my household, because my husband and I don’t celebrate Valentines Day. Once again we have Homer trying out a new career path when he becomes Sanitation Commissioner, and of course chaos ensues as his promises are far from realistic. The episode is just simply entertaining, yet hits a strong message home by the end of the episode about the accountability of political leaders/elected people in power and also our impact on the environment. It’s the kind of episode that makes you think about deep and important stuff without making you feel too depressed afterwards. Additionally, I think the episode is timeless; it presents us with circumstances that are relatable in every way.

Memorable Quotes:
“I never apologize, Lisa. I’m sorry, but that’s just the way I am.”

“Hold on, people! The man’s talking about waste management. That affects the whole damn planet!”
“Oh, here we go.”

“I’m Sir Love-A-Lot, the bear who loves to love!”
“They didn’t have Lord Huggington!?”
“It’s the same basic bear, Homie.”
“I guess…” (Turns away)

“What did you call us?”
“I don’t know… A lot of people yellin’ stuff…”
“Yeah, you called us trash-eating stinkbags! Didn’t you learn anything from Love Day”
“That was yesterday, moron!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Can I help you?”
“Potato man.“
“Where the hell have you been?”

Grift of the Magi (Season 11: Episode 9):
Fun toys are fun, and so is this episode!

Synopsis:
While bored, Milhouse and Bart dress up in Marge’s clothing and jump on the bed; they are startled when Homer comes knocks on the door, causing Bart to fall off the bed onto a bowling ball, cracking his coccyx. Bart must wear a cast and be in a wheelchair for several weeks; at school the next day they realize that Springfield Elementary School is not equipped with the appropriate accessibility ramps for children in wheelchairs. “Valdazzo Brothers Olive Oil”, Fat Tony’s company agrees to build the ramps, which turn out to be faulty and no good; the school now owes the company $200,000 which they of course, cannot pay, and therefore Principal Skinner closes the school. The town pleas for help, going directly to wealthy Mr.Burns, but he refuses (he never liked that Dr. Stupid), but eventually Kid First Industries buys the school and privatizes it. Things aren’t what they used to be as the new teachers spend all of their time talking about toys; no learning is happening which makes Lisa very suspicious. Lisa later discovers that they are a toy company that’s just using the children for research to make a toy, through the use of hidden cameras, tape recording and clear, two-way blackboards. Soon, a new toy named Funzo appears on the TV, which is the name Lisa mutter in class; the Simpson kids rush to Kid First Industries to confront them, as Funzo has been programed to destroy other toys. Homer and the kids end up stealing everyone’s Funzos and burn them in the tire fire.

Why I Love It:
Another great concept, I enjoy the idea of a toy company bailing out a school to get free marketing ideas from the exact clientele who are going to be buying their product; also, how crazy is it to think about your elementary school going broke and being bought out by a corporation? It would be fun if once in awhile your homework was to bring in a toy or think of a cool toy, but would you want to do that all the time? This episode is incredibly entertaining as you witness the new “teachers” trying to brainstorm with the students, and of course, something just never feels quite right. Growing up with Furby, though I never owned one, I thought this episode perfectly highlighted just how unsettling and creepy those toys actually looked; and maybe they too were made to destroy other toys. I also appreciate how unconventionally Christmas this episode was, coupled with the family working together to save others from the evil toy corporation, it truly is a fun episode.

Memorable Quotes:
“Instead of giving us an education, they used us to design a toy! Aren’t you outraged?”
“Not really, but if you’re gonna throw a spaz, I’ll come with.”

“Hello, I’m Dr. Stupid! I’m going to take out your liver bones. Oops, you’re dead!”
“I never liked that Dr. Stupid.”

“Lisa in trouble? The ironing is delicious.”
“The word is irony!”
“Huh?”

“Fun toys are fun.”
“Well said, Ralph, but we’re trying to come up with a name for a toy.”
“Mrs. Fun?“
“Not bad.”
“Fun?“
[getting angry] “Ralph, there are no right or wrong answers, but if you don’t pipe down I’m giving you an “F”!
“The before teacher yelled at me too.”
[calming down again] “No one’s yelling, we’re just brainstorming names.”

“All’s I know is I’m getting straight A’s, and that ain’t not bad.”

Well, that’s it, another five of my favourite episodes! Were any of these on your list? Is there one you love from these mid seasons that I might have missed? Don’t forget, there are another five episodes from seasons 9-16 coming up in my next blog! For the record, I would totally be okay with a Sir Loves a Lot… Thanks for reading neighborino! Smell ya later.

Finally, a Blog Post About The Simpsons (Seasons 1-8: Part 2)

manda_faromeiro

Welcome back! Without too much delay, I wanted to continue the discussion around my top 10 favourite episodes from Seasons 1-8 of The Simpsons. So grab your favourite flavor of Krusty’s partially gelatinated non-dairy gum-based beverage, and enjoy these next 5 episodes!

Radioactive Man (Season 7, Episode 2)

Truly a classic of The Simpsons, Radioactive Man is a recurring comic book character beloved by Bart, and many townsfolk alike, particularly the kids of Springfield. Downright hilarious and with a high quotability score, even if you’re not an hardcore Simpsons fan, I’m confident you would have seen this episode at least once in you life.

Synopsis:
It is declared that the newest Radioactive Man movie is going to be filmed in Springfield; tryouts for Radioactive Man’s sidekick, Fallout Boy are set to take place at Springfield Elementary. Bart is eccastic and cannot wait to audition for the role of his dreams. Unfortunately, Bart is deemed perfect for the role with the exception of being an inch too short and the role is cast to Milhouse; whom didn’t even want the part but was forced by his parents to audition. Of course, Bart is disappointed but tries to live vicariously through Milhouse; what Bart sees as exciting and cool, Milhouse finds his new gig tiresome and miserable. Meanwhile, the town of Springfield is taking advantage of Hollywood being in town, creating new taxes, jacking up prices and so on. While filming the most expensive scene for the movie in the powerplant using “real acid?” Milhouse runs away and disappears to Bart’s treehouse as he feels too overwhelmed by the pressure. The film is ultimately cancelled and the producers who are broke, go back to Hollywood.

Why I Love It:
Now more than ever, with so many comic books being transformed into movies, I can only begin to imagine the excitement and hysteria that would ensue if a movie based off of a comic book was going to be filmed in my hometown. Apart from a fun concept, this episode also brings about hilarious tidbits and moments; Springfield placing an ad to film the movie and not even spelling the ad correctly (FLIM Springfield), to the iconic Rainier Wolfcastle cast as Radioactive Man to bring to life the character we’ve only read about through Bart and others, and the little ridiculous ways that Springfield ultimately destroys the film’s productions. After all these years, I still laugh out loud at almost every scene in this episode, and honestly, my heart goes out to Bart (as a short person I feel his pain) for being fingertips away from achieving his boyhood dream.

Memorable Quotes:
“Up and Atom!”
“Up and At them!”
“Up and ATOM!”
“Up and AT them!”
“UP AND ATOM”
“UP AND AT THEM”
“Better…”

“But we already did it. It took us seven hours, but we did it. It’s done.”

“My eyes! The goggles do nothing!!”

“Well, when they find him they’ll… hmm.. (mumbles)”
“Uh, excuse me. You didn’t answer me. You just trailed off…”
“Yeah… yeah. I did kind of trail off, there, didn’t I?”

Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie (Season 4, Episode 6)
How do you feel when your favourite childhood cartoon is turned into a full-length film?

Synopsis:
Homer and Marge learn in parent teacher interviews at Springfield Elementary just how bad Bart’s behaviour truly is; Marge is very concerned that Bart does not receive enough punishment when he acts out and encourages Homer to discipline Bart seriously. Upon returning home from the interviews, Bart has smashed Grandpa’s teeth and while he is sent to bed without supper, Homer sneaks him up a few slices once the family has gone to bed. The next day, the Simpson kids learn that there is going to be an Itchy and Scratchy movie, and immediately they buy some tickets. Bart continues to get into mischief and trouble, with the last major incident being when he fails to watch Maggie. Homer is quite enraged and ends up ripping Bart’s movie tickets to bits and forbidding him to watch the movie, ever. As all his peers and schoolmates have seen the film, Bart is depressed, angry, and jealous. Both Marge and Lisa plea with Homer to reverse the punishment, but Homer refuses, even after months. After eight long months, the movie finally leaves theatres, and Bart admits defeat to Homer. The episode ends with a flashforward forty years where Bart can finally watch the movie with Homer.

Why I Love It:
Another example of Homer trying to be a “good” parent, I really like the dynamic here of Marge and Homer trying to be better parents to ensure that Bart doesn’t grow up and continue his patterns of misbehaviour. I think this episode is also very relatable as a kid, because I am sure there was always a time when we felt a punishment we received was disproportionate to what “bad” act we may have committed. This of course comes from someone who seldom got in trouble, and when I did it was never to the degree of Bart Simpson’s behaviour, but I sympathize all the same: not seeing the movie for opening weekend? Fair. For a month? Also fair. But not being able to see it EVER? In a time where Netflix didn’t exist and you had to wait MONTHS for it to be released on VHS, and even then if you could never see the film would your parent even LET you rent it? As time goes on, I love this episode even more because now that The Simpsons Movie exists, I lived through the joyous experience that is your favourite childhood cartoon show being adapted into a full-length film! Like all the episodes thus far, this one has many quotable moments too. Kudos to Homer for sticking with his punishment for so long: 40 years!

Memorable Quotes:
“You’re welcome to watch anything you want on TV.”
“TV SUCKS.”
“I know you’re upset right now, so I’ll pretend you didn’t say that.”

“Boy, time really flies when you’re reading… THE BIBLE? Ew…”

“Be good for Grandpa. We’ll bring back dinner.”
“What are we gonna have?”
“Well that depends on what your teachers’ say. If you’ve been good, pizza. If you’ve been bad, ummm, let’s see… poison!
“What if one of us is good and one of us is bad?”
“Poison Pizza.”
“Oh NO. I’m not making two stops.”

Bart Gets an F (Season 2: Episode 1)
The one when you’re really rooting for Bart to do some good, and also thinking about how much fun snow days were when you were a kid.

Synopsis:
After failing to read Treasure Island for a book report, Bart is confronted by his teacher, Mrs. Krabappel about his slipping grades. The following test, Bart fails to study, faking an illness and being sent home before writing. Lisa warns her brother that he cannot hide from the test forever, and he must put in the work if he doesn’t want to fail. Bart calls Milhouse for the answers to the test, but learns after taking the test the next day at school that all the answers were wrong. Mrs. Krabappel holds a meeting with Marge and Homer and the school psychiatrist, who recommends that Bart repeat the 4th grade. While Homer and Marge think that holding Bart back a grade may help, Bart is determined to work hard and pull up his grades, enlisting the help of Martin Prince for tutoring and study tips in exchange for teaching Martin how to be cool. Initially the plan works, but Martin quickly learns Bart’s bad traits and bails on helping him study for the next test. With a prayer to God for one more day to study, Springfield is hit with a massive blizzard. In the morning, the Simpsons learn that everything is closed for the day; including the school. While Bart is enthused and ready to go sledding, Lisa stops him at the door, reminding him that he asked for this, and needs to do the right thing and use the day off school to study for the test. Agreeing with Lisa, Bart then tries his best to spend the day with his nose in the books, despite all the fun everyone is having outside. When class is back in session, Bart fails again by one point, and breaks down crying in front of Mrs.K; upset that he actually tried his best to study. While Mrs.K initially doesn’t believe him, Bart is able to make a connection with something he read in the textbook, and Mrs.K awards him an extra mark for “applied knowledge” allowing Bart’s grade to improve to a pass.

Why I Love It:
In one of my first blogs, I wrote about how I wanted to be an educator since I was in Grade 3; and helping people learn has always been an important goal for me. Thus, an episode like this really pulls at my heartstrings as an educator, because the reason I got into teaching was to help each individual student learn and see their own potential. In my classroom experiences, I’ve had many students like Bart, and learning over the years how “normal” or “typical” learning techniques don’t help kids like Bart succeed, makes it all the more important that teachers really understand each and every one of their students’ needs. Of course, when I first watched this episode, I didn’t know anything about what it meant to be a teacher, but the episode still spoke to me because of how hard Bart really tried. On a bigger scale, I think that this episode shows us how we really don’t know what people are going through, and even though on the surface they appear to be one way, we cannot use past actions to make judgements on them here and now. A solid episode, especially considering it was very early on in the show’s run.

Memorable Quotes:
“Hey Otto Man, I’ve got a big test that I’m not ready for. Could you please crash the bus or something?”
“Oh, sorry little buddy. Can’t do it on purpose. But hey, maybe you’ll get lucky!”

“Everyone knows you’re faking it.”
“Well, everyone better keep their mouth shut!”

Lisa vs Malibu Stacy (Season 5: Episode 14)
Imagine if you could make your very own Barbie doll!

Synopsis:
Grandpa Simpson decides to give his inheritance to the family early, but is disappointed when the kids spend their silver dollars on toys. Lisa is thrilled to own the new Talking Malibu Stacy doll, but instantly is disappointed at the sexist comments and remarks the doll makes. Lisa is determined to speak with the Malibu Stacy doll manufacturer, and reaches out to Mr. Smithers, who holds the title as the largest Malibu Stacy collector, to help track down Stacy Lovell (the woman behind Malibu Stacy). Upon meeting, Lisa expresses her disappointment in the talking doll, as she had been waiting her whole life to hear what the doll she idolized her whole life would say. Lisa and Lovell partner up to create a new talking doll, Lisa Lionheart – a doll that not only looks more realistic but also has motivational and encouraging catchphrases. When learning about the doll, the Malibu Stacy company fears the doll will surpass theirs in sales, and releases a “new” Malibu Stacy the same day that Lisa Lionheart is available in stores. All the little girls in the store go crazy for the “new” Malibu Stacy, with the exception of one who purchases Lisa Lionheart.

Why I Love It:
This episode is always a memorable one for me; I loved playing with Barbie growing up, and while I always looked at the positives about her (she had so many awesome careers, had cool clothes, went on lots of adventures), it wasn’t until I was a little order that I realized the negative ideals that Barbie might be suggesting to young girls. I sympathized with Lisa, as you always imagined up the types of things your Barbie would say if she talked and fit into the creative world you made up for her amongst your other toys and dolls. I love how determined Lisa is to make it known to the big company how someone who actually uses their product is feeling about their toys, and Lisa is always methodical in her approach. The idea of Lisa creating a new doll was inspiring, and taught us as the viewer an important lesson about how we are influenced by things like our toys. While I’m not laughing as loud in this episode as I am with most of the others on the list, there are some very witty and comical tidbits here, like when Stacy is trying to come up with the hairstyle for the Lisa’s new doll; blurting out that all the Simpsons have hideous hair… were we all thinking this all along? Bahaha.

Memorable Quotes:

“Lisa! Ordinarily I’d say you should stand up for what you believe in, but you’ve been doing that an awful lot lately.”

“I’d be mordified if someone ever made a lousy product with the Simpson name on it.”

“Do we sell…french…fries?”

“How about Blabbermouth? The jerky doll for jerks.”

“It’s awful being a kid, no one listens to you.”
“It’s awful being old, no one listens to you.”
“I’m a white male, aged 18-49. Everyone listens to me! No matter how dumb my suggestions are.”

Homer the Heretic (Season 4: Episode 3)
I bet you’re craving those moon waffles right now.

Synopsis:
Homer decides to forgo church during a blizzard. He has an excellent day skipping church, and thus decides moving forward that he is not going to be attending church anymore. Despite Marge’s plea, Homer doesn’t change his mind. Homer is happier than ever skipping church, but Marge, Ned Flanders, and Reverend Lovejoy try to convince him to return. One Sunday, when the family leaves for church, Homer is living it up, but falls asleep on the couch with a cigar in his hand, which ultimately falls on top of a pile of magazines and catches fire. Homer wakes up, but is quickly knocked out due to the smoke. The Springfield Volunteer Fire Department head over to the Simpson house, but Flanders comes to the aid of Homer before the arrive. Once the fire is put out, Homer agrees to give church another chance, and when returning to the next service, sleeps through the whole thing (snoring aloud).

Why I Love It:
This episode poses very interesting questions and considerations about one’s relationship with God/faith. As someone who grew up going to church regularly, it definitely crossed my mind once in awhile what would happen if I stopped going to church? What was I missing out on? Is my life better by going to church or can I be spiritual and faithful in my own ways, outside of attending church on Sundays? All serious thoughts aside, I really enjoyed this episode as it places Homer in an intriguing position; as a parent he is expected to set an example for his children, but does that mean that skipping church is a bad thing? This is one of many episodes that poses a number of questions about religion, faith and spirituality. While in the end, Homer ultimately decides to join his family at church and his faith in God is restored (even if only slightly), the antics he gets into are memorable and comical.

Memorable Quotes:
“You know, I have a feeling there’s a lesson here.”
“Yes, the lesson is-“
“No, don’t tell me. I’ll get it. The Lord is vengeful. Oh, spiteful one! Show me who to smite and they shall be smoten!”

“Rise and shine, and give God your glory!”
“GROWL!”

“One size fits all, my butt!”

“You bet your sweet…ass!”

Well Springfieldians, that wraps up my first set of top 10 episodes for The Simpsons. Which of these episodes on this post is your favourite? Which episodes from Season 1-8 that you love did I miss? Trust me when I say that this was quite difficult to put together, and I know I left out some real gems. Meet you by the lemon tree! Until next time…

Finally, a Blog Post About The Simpsons (Seasons 1-8: Part 1)

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Anyone who knows me outside of this blog understands how deep my passion, love, dedication and obsession is for The Simpsons. You can seldom make it through a daily conversation with me that fails to allude to or include a Simpsons reference of sorts; more often than not I’m spewing a literal word for word quotation or interaction that fits in perfectly to whatever we might be talking about. Without diving into the many reasons why I adore The Simpsons, (and have for basically all my years on this planet), I decided to list 10 of my most favourite episodes from Seasons 1-8; this is the best way to break up so many great episodes within so many great seasons! Perhaps after reading this you can take the time to go back and rewatch some of these gems on Disney+, or you know, a DVD if you’re one of us hardcore fans that collects the seasons! Either way, I’ve listed a brief synopsis of the episode as well as a brief explanation as to why I adore it so much. Insert cough gag, put your butt there, and enjoy!

You Only Move Twice (Season 8, Episode 2)
When you love something so much, it’s really hard to choose 1 thing you love most. Honestly, I get asked this question a lot: What is your absolute favourite episode of The Simpsons? Without hesitation, I always answer with this episode.

Synopsis:
Homer is offered a job at Globex Corporation, which requires the Simpson family to move from Springfield to Cypress Creek. The family is reluctant to leave Springfield in the beginning, but soon realize Cypress Creek is much nicer than Springfield. Optimistic and excited, the Simpsons say, “So long, stinktown!” to Springfield, leaving it in their rearview mirror. Upon arriving in Cypress Creek, Homer is almost immediately greeted by his boss, Hank Scorpio (not to be called Mr. Scorpion) who seems perfect and Homer quickly falls in love with all the great things moving to Cypress Creek has offered. Alas, Homer is the only Simpson who truly loves Cypress Creek; Bart is being held back in school, Lisa is highly allergic to much of the natural surroundings in town, and Marge is bored out of her mind as the house automatically does all the housework for her. As the episode progresses, we learn that Scorpio is basically a supervillain as many hilarious and villainy-esque events occur. Ultimately, as you can suspect, the Simpsons move back to Springfield but Homer receives the Denver Broncos as a present from Scorpio as a thank you for his hard work.



Why I Love It:
Probably one of the most quotable episodes ever, You Only Move Twice, never fails to make me laugh out loud no matter how many times I watch it. I appreciate every little detail in this episode in making Mr. Scorpio a villain you love and one who makes you laugh. Mr. Scorpio is the best one time appearance character the show has ever had, and with such a great storyline you’re left wanting more Scorpio, yet you’re completely satisfied with knowing he’s continuing more villany work despite no more on-screen time. The episode also brought upon us great sub-storytelling with Bart at school and Lisa exploring the forest; how can we forget, “I come from Canada and they think I’m slow, eh.” or “I’m allergic to everything here! My nose is so stuffed up, I can’t even taste Mom’s delicious boiled celery.” All in all the episode is clever, probably the most clever in the whole series; it’s laugh-out-loud funny, while also touchingly sweet and memorable. Oh, and who could forget the “Scorpio” song? He’ll sting you with his dreams of power and wealth, beware of Scorpio!

Memorable Quotes:
“By the way Homer, what’s your least favourite country, Italy or France?”
“France.”
“Hehe-Hehe- Nobody ever says Italy”

“My ass is for sitting, not for kissing”

“You don’t like these shoes; then neither do I! *throws them away* Get the hell out of here! Homer, have you ever seen a man say goodbye to a shoe before?”
“Hehe, yeah. Once.”

$pringfield (Season 5, Episode 10)
Season 5 has a lot of gems, but this one stands out to me the most.

Synopsis:
Springfield legalizes gambling to boost the economy, and Mr. Burns opens a casino. Homer is employed at the casino as a Blackjack dealer, and Marge develops a gambling addiction after she finds a quarter on the floor of the casino and can’t find its rightful owner, plays it in the machine, and wins. Seeing the casino is all the rage with adults, Bart opens his own casino in the treehouse catered to kids. Soon, Marge is neglecting the family and spending all her time gambling; she forgets to help Lisa with her costume for the geography pageant. As the episode progresses, Mr. Burn’s becomes obsessive over germs and develops extreme paranoia. Ultimately deciding that he misses the power plant, Mr. Burns decides to return there, and after she is confronted by Homer, Marge recognizes her own gambling problem.

Why I Love It:
Apart from it’s quotability, this episode offers a different side of Homer we aren’t used to seeing. The way Homer balances work life and home life, once he realizes that Marge is dropping the ball, makes the episode all the more interesting; a role reversal of being the “responsible parent.” I appreciate the way Homer is trying so hard to be there for the family, yet find it entertaining to watch him try to master being a card dealer. Also, the way that Mr. Burns’ transforms throughout the episode is entertaining as well, and the cultural references to films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Rain Man, and Dr. Strangelove are not lost on me. Lastly, all I ever wanted to be for Halloween after this episode aired was the state of Floreda.

Memorable Quotes:
“I’m not a state, I’m a MONSTER!”

“ARGH! YURGERDARADGIFEDERARA”
“Homer, what is it? Slow down!”
“JER GETTA FERTER RADA ARA”
“Think before you say each word.”
“You broke a promise to your child.”
“What?”
“You promised Lisa to help her with her costume. You made her cry. Then I cried. Then Maggie laughed. She’s such a little trooper.”

“Bart, I don’t want to alarm you, but there may be a Boogeyman or Boogeymen in the house.”

“No. Nevada makes my butt look big.”

Treehouse of Horror III (Season 4, Episode 5)
The Halloween episodes are iconic on their own, and many of these episodes (divided into 3 separate short stories) would make great stand-alone episodes if given the full 22 minute runtime. Growing up, I always looked forward to the newest Halloween special; even though I’m a scaredy cat, these episodes hold a special place in my Simpsons’ heart.

Synopsis:
The Simpsons are throwing a Halloween party for the kids of Springfield, and are trying to scare each other by taking turns telling spooky stories. The first, “Clown Without Pity” shows us that Homer forgets to buy Bart a birthday gift; he rushes out and ends up at The House of Evil where he purchases a (cursed) talking Krusty doll. Despite warning from the shopkeeper, Homer brings the doll home, and Bart is excited (yet does not know the doll is cursed). The Krusty doll ends up trying several times to kill Homer, who then buries the doll in a bottomless pit; Krusty escapes and attacks Homer in the kitchen. After calling the number on the box, it is revealed by repairman that the doll’s switch was turned to “evil.”

The second story, “King Homer” parodies the story of King Kong, where of course, Homer is the legendary ape. Marge, Mr. Burns and Mr. Smithers are on the hunt to find King Homer, but Marge is spotted by the natives living on the island and offered up to King Homer as a sacrifice. King Homer ends up falling in love with Marge, and Marge reciprocates, seeing the good in the ape. Mr. Burns is determined to capture King Homer and show him off in New York City; he is displayed on broadway until things go awry and King Homer attempts climbing the Empire State Building to escape. At the end of the episode, Marge and King Homer wed.

Lastly, “Dial Z for Zombies” starts off with Bart finding a book of spells and accidently bringing the dead back to life as he attempts to make Lisa feel better about losing Snowball I (their first cat). Zombies then terrorize Springfield, and while they break into the Simpson house, Homer sacrifices himself for the family, but the Zombies want nothing to do with Homer (brains! brains? no BRAINS!). Bart is able to lure the Zombies into Springfield Elementary where he casts another spell to banish them back to their graves.

Why I Love It:
Three very iconic Simpsons stories that leave you laughing until your belly hurts. When I think about Treehouse of Horror episodes, this one comes to mind almost instantly. As stand alone stories, these three are my favourite of all the Halloween episodes. As I mentioned above, I’m a scaredy cat, so I appreciate Halloween themed things that don’t make me lose any sleep. As I said with You Only Move Twice, I also believe that this episode is one of the most quotable episodes ever. The storytelling is clever and offers unexpected belly-laughs (cue Burns throwing the gas bomb).

Memorable Quotes:
“Take this object, but beware it carries a terrible curse…”
“Ohhhh, that’s bad.”
“But it comes with a free Frogurt!”
“That’s good.”
“The Frogurt is also cursed.”
“That’s bad.”
“But you get your choice of topping!”
“That’s good.”
“The toppings contain Potassium Benzoate.”
“….”
“That’s Bad.”
“Can I go now?”

“The doll’s trying to kill me and the toaster’s been laughing at me!”

“Alright, you big ape. Get a snootful of this gas bomb! *throws bomb at feet* “I was strolling through the Gas one day…”

“Dad, you killed the zombie Flanders!”
“He was a zombie?”

“Is this the end of Zombie Shakespeare?!”

Lisa on Ice (Season 6, Episode 8)
As a sister, so much of the dynamics of Bart and Lisa in this episode resonate with me and bring back the fondest (more hilarious) memories of my brothers and I growing up.

Synopsis:
Lisa learns in a school assembly that she is failing Phys Ed class and is encouraged to join a sports team to up her grade. After several failed attempts at a number of different sports, it’s looking hopeless for Lisa. The family goes to watch one of Bart’s ice hockey games, and after the game Bart is making fun of Lisa’s poor athletic abilities; he shoots a puck at her and to everyone’s surprise, Lisa is able to stop the pucks with ease. This catches the attention of Apu who coaches the opposing team and asks Lisa to be their new goalie. A sibling rivalry is born, and fueled by Homer encouraging the two to be competitive with one another. After a number of back and forth bouts, the last few seconds of the final game showcase Bart and Lisa remembering all the times they looked out for one another, and they share an embrace ending the game in a tie. The fans riot in dissatisfaction and trash the arena, but Marge is ever so proud of her kids.

Why I Love It:
This episode always makes me smile because I really can relate to Bart and Lisa being so close in age and having such a complex love and hate relationship with each other. Growing up with brothers, I often fought with them over trivial things, but we also bonded over many things. The sibling dynamic between Bart and Lisa is all too real in this episode and the fact that Marge and Homer have differing opinions about how the kids should be acting during this rivalry is all too familiar. While I never played hockey in a recreational league, many times was I playing against my brothers or with friends, and almost always put in net. I don’t think I was ever as good as Lisa, but I definitely screamed just like her everytime a puck came my way. Ultimately this episode stands out as one of my favourites simply because of its familiarity and hilarity. Don’t tell me you can watch the scene with Bart and Lisa kicking air and twirling arms around fighting each other without bursting into tears with laughter.

Memorable Quotes:
“Me Fail English? That’s unpossible!”

“Oh my God, Marge. A penalty shot with only four seconds left. It’s your child versus mine! The winner will be showered with praise; the loser will be taunted and booed until my throat is sore!”

“I asked for Ketchup! I’m eating salad here.”
“I won’t have any aggressive condiment passing in this house!”

“I don’t care who started it. I don’t ever want to see you two fighting like that ever again. We love you both: you’re not in competition with each other! Repeat: you are not in competition with each other!”
“Hey! Apu just called. This Friday, Lisa’s team is playing Bart’s team. You’re in direct competition. And don’t go easy on each other just because you’re brother and sister. I want to see you both fighting for your parents’ love! (Flicks light on and off.) Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Homer at Bat (Season 3, Episode 16):
What could be better than Simpsons and Baseball?

Synopsis:
The Nuclear Power Plant workers sign up for the company softball team, despite the previous years lacking success. Despite the team’s record, Homer is excited as he crafts up his Wonder Bat made from a fallen tree branch that was struck by lightning during a thunderstorm. The team ends up having great success and makes it to the playoffs. Skeptical, but eager for a championship, Mr. Burns makes a bet with the rival team’s owner and to ensure a victory insists that Mr. Smithers rally together professional baseball players. Burns hires several MLB stars to play on the team, but must disguise them as everyday power plant employees. In addition, Burns hires a hypnotist to train the team, but soon enough all the major league players succumb to misfortunes that rule them unable to play in the final game; except for Darryl Strawberry. With the score tied and bases loaded, Burns actually puts Homer into the game who gets so distracted by Burns signals at bat, that he gets knocked out by the pitch. The team wins the game!

Why I Love It:
The idea of Homer making a homemade bat and it being the main reason the team has such success in the regular season resonates with so many of us who played sports or participated in any activity and had a lucky object or item that we believed brought us success; whether it was a lucky pair of underwear, having to wear a certain number, or pre-game rituals, I think we’ve all had a special thing that has made us feel more confident in our successes. If not, that’s cool too! Anyway, I simply enjoy the blending of major league players in with everyday Springfield folk and truly felt that each player brought something different to the team and episode. It was refreshing (and down right funny) to see how these stars would act in normal day to day activities and decisions; Jose Canseco saving the family (and the appliances) from a house fire for example. Not to sound like a broken record, but this episode is also filled with many quotes I found myself continuously repeating and fitting into everyday life, like when you’re friends’ sideburns are really distracting you from carrying out your everyday activities. Lastly, I question the character of anyone who doesn’t sing along when the “Talkin’ Softball” song comes on at the end of the episode.

Memorable Quotes:
“Mattingly, I thought I told you to TRIM those sideburns? GO HOME! You’re OFF the team, FOR GOOD!”

“I will give 100 percent.”
“That’s impossible. No one can give more than 100 percent. By definition that is the most anyone can give.”

“It’s like there’s a party in my mouth, and everyone’s invited!”

“Well, are you better than me?”
“Well, I’ve never met you, but… yes.”

Okay folks, that’s the part 1 of what is going to be many parts of my blog about The Simpsons. What do you think of the first 5 episodes I’ve picked so far? Do you think any of these are the “WORST.EPISODE.EVER.” or do you agree with my picks? Remember, these are just 5 of my most favourite episodes from Seasons 1-8; I am not only missing the latter 5, but there were several additional iconic episodes I left out. If anyone needs me I’ll be at Moe’s! Smell ya, later…